ORANGE COUNTY ZOO
Photo courtesy of
Irvine Park Railroad
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owned and operated by the
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Web page produced by the
Orange County Zoological Society,
Copyright 2005.
Bush Poppy
Dendromecon rigida
The bush poppy, also known as a tree poppy is found in the coast ranges from
Sonoma County, California to Baja, Mexico and the western base of the Sierra
Nevada Mountains on dry slopes in chaparral. It often is found colonizing burned
areas of chaparral.
The island bush poppy, Dendromecon harfordii, is found only on Santa Cruz and
Santa Rosa Islands. The island bush poppy is uncommon.
This evergreen shrub can reach a height of six feet. The yellow flowers bloom
from March to July. The plant has grey-green leaves. The fruit is a 2-4 inch
capsule with numerous small round black seeds.
Bees and butterflies love the flowers and deer will eat the new leaves in
spring.
Dendromecon rigida defined: dendron = tree, mekon = poppy, rigida = stiff
leaves.